QUESTION
EXPERIENCE ON E-LEARNING
SOLUTION
Using electronic devices for learning, education and training purposes is called e-learning (Derek Stockley, 2003). The most prominent feature and important advantage of e-learning is flexibility. The classes can be held whenever and where ever one wants. E-learning works on the principle of anytime anywhere class. Various styles of learning can be adopted in e-learning and probably that is the reason why it is preferred by learners these days. Own can go for a learning program as per their comfort and convenience in their busy schedule. A working individual can take classes at their desk in their offices; a busy housewife can participate in e-learning at night when her family is asleep. Thus ductility which e-learning provide to the learner is the major benefit associated with e-learning. In comparison to traditional learning, the cost involved in e-learning is very minimal. One saves the money which is spent on travelling and other things like stationary, books etc. E-learning can be conducted in any part of the world, thus it does not involve any kind of travelling. Apart from money, it also saves time of a learner.
Individual learning plans are implemented to make e-learning more personalised and customised as per the requirement of learner. Individual learning plans are delivered through online environment and makes objective, mission and reports of e-learning easily manageable and achievable. While preparing individual learning plans, institutions make sure that they suit the strategy and culture of the learner.
With the passage of time, learners are shifting from individual learning plans to collaborative learning methods. Problem- based and case-based learning is the two basic component of collaborative e-learning. Under this form of e-learning, group-discussions, group-assignments and group-work are given substantial importance and student takes active part in learning. Traditional individual learning plans however lacks in creating an active environment which can stimulate interaction and cooperation among learners. This is the main reason why e-learning is considered boring and lonely. But, collaborative e-learning leads to an interactive learning where a community of learners are formed in order to enable them to exchange discuss and gather ideas. Basic purpose of e-learning is to create an environment where learners learn from each other. It is possible to stimulate activities, cooperation and collaborative learning among students from different countries even in an e-learning setting (Larsen et al 2007, 2008).
E-community comprises of learners and educators. It is created to facilitate, construct and explore understanding to formulate sufficiency for future learning. In e-communities, participants are aimed at constructing significant and relevant knowledge (Redmond & Lock, 2006). E-community comprises of three constituents: social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence.
Social Presence: Formation of an interactive social presence is the most essential constituent for a purposeful and advantageous experience of learning. It can be defined as the potential of a participant of an e-community, to express themselves as real people who are socially and emotionally active through the communication medium. The medium of communication of an e-community plays an important role and it becomes very crucial to bring down the eagerness associated with the communication medium. Participants take time in opening and expressing their views, beliefs and opinions openly and frankly with other members of the community. Moreover, they have to express their emotions in the form of texts, this makes the process of opening up little more time consuming. Absence of visuals, vocalism and instantaneousness, which are there in face-to-face interaction, makes interaction in e-learning more cumbersome.
Cognitive Presence: Cognitive presence can be defined as the construction of knowledge. The propagation to which learners are able to develop and sustain knowledge through sustainable reflection and discourse in a critical community of inquiry. Under this element, learners are given bona fide tasks in order to attain deep learning. Backing from other students and open feedback from educators, encourage learner to achieve cognitive presence.
Teaching Presence: Social and cognitive processes need to be designed, facilitated and directed in such a manner that it gives an appropriate meaningful and cognitive learning outcomes. It is not only the educator who delivers the knowledge but every participant plays an important role in the teaching process.
Let us understand the whole concept mentioned above with the help of an example. ‘Ning’ blog online community has been put into place to help increase collaboration and communication of teachers at all levels. The technological environment at the campus consists of; fifty five personal computers ( PCs) for students, one mobile LabCuddy that hold twenty laptops, 4 classrooms have a permanent fixed interactive board, 1 mobile interactive board equipment and a computer with projector in all classrooms. The distance education department started using e-readers to deliver online textbook material. Some learners bring their ipods, iphones/androids to supplement class audio and video multimedia materials. These learners are very selective and expect the teacher to be able to utilise their tools too. There a wireless access to both students and teachers in the whole ground of the campus. The Ning blog community consists of forty-five teachers and expert teachers (a Teaching and Learning coordinator (T&L) and e-mentor to each campus). They are geographically dislocated state and nationwide. They all have a social, cognitive and teaching presence aggrandising profound and purposeful learning experience ( Redmond & Lock, 2006). The multimodality and the diversity available within this community could not be possible when it comes to face-to-face interaction.The Ning community is designed with learner-centered focus therefore a flexible framework design is of a great significance. Redmond & Lock assert that implementation of such framework requires ‘complex thinking guided by a deep constructivist approach’ (Redmond & Lock, 2006). The Ning community members geographically dislocated interacts on synchronous and asynchronous platforms using basic messaging such as chat, private messages and wall posts. The home page is designed with a clear access to the program one belongs to and then directed to campuses and/or activities of relevance. The members’ task resembles a bee hive in its diversity. Work groups and subsets of groups operate as communities of practice within specific issues and goals with a clear (Boud & Middleton, 2003). Some members could be working on specific learning goals purposeful to the organization (Bacon, 2010). Others could be analysing different learning and teaching materials and tools to aid effectiveness of learning. Members also create and trial learning resources, address students’ and teachers’ learning needs, share and reflect on learning/teaching experiences, give and receive feedbacks, support and guide each other when using/experimenting a new teaching resources. This collaborative partnership helps us keep updated about the progress made through this community (Kirkpatrick, Barrett and Jones, 2003). In addition, this collaboration reduces time to allow us carry out work with a little abstraction. For instance, if a teacher proposes a new teaching idea or approach, other teachers would either instantly trial it or would develop new learning resources to the proposed idea or approach. This active interactive participation and collaboration of each community member, regardless the amount of contribution or level of expertise, foster a greater connectivity promoting a sense of trust (Redmond & Lock, 2006).
The e-learning has led to an environment of digital and social networks in diverse settings. Now the education and Ideas are not limited to the classrooms. Through e-learning, whole world can be converted into one classroom where every learner will be a team member, will have an access to raiment of specialization. They may never meet in person but can create meaningful and worthwhile knowledge in order to make world a better place to live. It can be used as a way to structure and support interdisciplinary, learning partnerships at the local, national or international levels. Technology enables educators to establish learning communities whose boundaries are only limited by the imagination of those who participate within that learning community.
References
Larsen , A., K. & Hole, G., O., 2009. Collaborative learning in e-learning . [e-book] Norway: Media Centre. Available through: Bergen University College Library website < http://www.virclass.net/eped/ep_tmp/files/5640974abc821ccbec0.pdf > [Accessed 26 April 2012].
Tavangarian, D. et al. 2009. Is e-Learning the Solution for Individual Learning ? . [online] Available at: <http://www.mendeley.com/research/elearning-solution-individual-learning/>[Accessed 26 April 2012].
Redmond, H. & Lock, V., J., 2006, ‘A flexible framework for online collaborative learning’, pp. 267–276, University of Southern Queensland & University of Calgary, Faculty of Education, 2006
Siemens, G., 2006. Knowing Knowledge
Garrison, DR & Anderson, T (2003) E-Learning in the 21st Century. A Framework for Research and Practice. London and New York, Routledge Falmer.
Larsen, AK, Sanders, R, Astray, AA, Hole, GO (2008): E-teacher Challenges and Competences in International Comparative Social Work Courses. Social Work Education. Vol.27, No6, Sept. 2008 pp 623-633
Larsen, AK, Hole, GO, Fahlvik, M (2007): Developing a Virtual Book – Material for Virtual Learning environments. Seminar.net vol 3, issue 3. The future of the Learning Management System http://www.seminar.net/
Lave, J; Wenger, E (1991) Situated Learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Salmon, G (2004) E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online. London, Routledge Falmer
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